Locking device for interlocking switch stands



Sept. 22, 1925. 1,554,542

' F. c. ANDERSON LOCKING DEVICE FOR INTERLOCKING SWITCH STANDS Filed Aug. 15. 1924 15' 16 I I'd/ anto?" Patented Sept. 22, 1925.

UNITED srnres FRAN c. nnnn'eson, or CENCINNATL onto. nss enoa To earn-nicer: VALVE AND company, ea entertainer, GHIO. a commissioner onro.

LOOKING DEVICE FOR INTERLooKING' SWITCH STANDS.

Application filed August 15, 1924. Serial no. 722,218.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looking Devices for Interlocking Switch Stands, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to switch-stands,

and more especially to switch-stands similar to that disclosed and claimed in my prior Patent No. 1,141,905, dated June 1 1915, in which is a provision for completelyoperating an interlocking mechanism preliminary to throwing of the switch. Also it is related to the improvement disclosed and claimed in my copending application Serial No, 21,057, filed April 6, 1925. The object of my present invention is to lock the interlocking mechanism, directly instead of indirectly by virtue of its connection to the switch-throwing lever as in the above invention; thereby indirectly looking the switch-throwing lever but providing for leaving the interlocking mechanism safely locked should the switch-stand proper, with its throwing lever, be torn away from the interlocking mechanism in an accident such as may result from a projecting object on a train striking the stand, or some object struck by the train, as a vehicle, being thrown thereby against the stand. Other objects will appear in the course of the ensuing description.

I attain these objects by the device illustrate d, for example, in the accompanying drawing,- inwhich- Figure 1 is a general perspective view of part of a switch and a switch-stand connected thereto and having an interlocking mechanism with my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a partial planview, enlarged, of the interlocking mechanism including my improved locking device;

Fig. 3 is a partial longitudinal vertical section on the plane of the line S -'3 of Fig. a a,

Fig; 4: is a detail perspective view of the locking yoke or hasp.

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section also on the plane of the line 3--3 of Fig. 2, on reducedscale.

Theswitch-stand 1 has the upright target a shaft 2 in upper lower hearings 3 and 4:.

Below the lower bearing; 4 the switch connecting rod 5 is connected to the shaft 2 by a crankas is well known in the art, this rod 5 being connected to thepoint rail 6 of the switch by a bar 7 which is understood to extend across the track and connect to the opposite point rail, not shown,

i .bove the upper bearing 3 the fulcrumhead 8 is fixed on the target shaft 2 and has the switch-throwing lever 9 swinging up and down on the pivot 10 transversely through the head 8; the latter having a downwardly open slot occupied by the upper end of th lever 9 around this pivot 10. hen the switch is closed, with the point rail 6 against the stock rail, as shown, the fulcrum-head slot registers with a slot in the edge of the switch-stand top; thisslot allowing the lever 9 to hang vertical, and, by engagement in this slot, this lever 9 thus is designed to prevent the switch from opening. As heretofore used, the switch-stand has been locked by passing the bow of a padlook through the ear 11 projecting out from the upper end part of the lever 9, above the pivot 10; the lock being adapted to engage with the face ofthe end of thefulcrum-hea d 8 and thus prevent the lever 9 from swinging up outof the engagement slot. Although my present invention provides for locking elsewhere, I prefer to still provide thestand with this meansfor locking the lever 9, so that it is available in cases whereinmy present invention is not used with the stand;

The pivot 12 projects out from an upstanding ear on the sideof the stand nezit to the track, and a short lever 13 swings on this pivot 12, with its lower end separably engaging a stud '14 in a socket 18' in the switch-throwing lever 9 a short distance below the pivot thereof, which stud 14 also projects toward the track with the connector 15 having an eyeembracing this stud 14.7

The interlOckinghOusing 16 isset into a gain in one of the head blocks that support the stand, with a stirrup 1 7 p1ojeotingoutside the head block and' having sliding through it the interlocking bar 18 with an opening through which the plunger 19, sliding in the housing, is adapted to extend when the opening registers with the openings in the casing and stirrup in which the plunger 19 is guided. This interlocking bar 18 extends under the stoekrail and has its end connected to adeflecting guard plate the connector 15 by a pivot 23.

2O bolted to the end of the point rail 6. This guard plate 20 curves down over the cross-tie or head block from the point rail to its connection with the bar 18, and also curves away from the stock rail, its upper surface being thus convex and upwardly sloping and adapted to deflect a dragged object up away from the end of the point rail 6. Thus, when the point rail 6 is away from the stock rail, this plate 20 guards against the catching of an object dragged or otherwise forced along by a car passing through the switch, which object, if caught between the point 'rail and stock rail when the point rail is brought over toward the stockrail, would prevent entire closing of the switch.

The interlocking mechanism, however, which is substantially the same as that disclosed in my above mentioned patent, is designed to prevent locking of the switch it an object thus is caught between the rails, or if, for any other reason, the switch: stand fails to draw the point rail 6 close to the stock rail. The plunger 19 cannot enter the opening. in the interlocking bar 18 unless this relation of the rails has been established. The interior mechanismof the device for shifting the plunger 19, as shown in Fig. o,comprises an arm 19 engaging the lun er inside the housin 16 and swin in b 2" b b on the pivot 21 with the arms 22 that flank the housing and project past the opposite end thereof to connect to the lower end of This lower end, as herein shown, is in the form of a fork 24: with its members embracing the zontal position by the switchman, as is necessary to disengage it from the switch-stand slot for turning the targetshaft to throwthe switch, the plunger 19 is completely withdrawn from the opening in the interlocking bar 18; so that when the lever. 9 and fulcrum-head 8 are swung around over the top of the switch stand through an angle of 90 degrees, the bar 18 may be drawn with the point rail 6 in its movement away from the stock rail thus caused by the turning of the target shaft 2 connected thereto by the rod 5. This operation is the same as that of my prior invention previously mentioned.

However, the factremains that, although the interlocking device according to my prior invention amply guards against such faulty closure of the switch as above alluded to, and although the connection of the con nector 15 to the lever 9 is made loose enough to be pulled off if the switch-stand is torn away in some such manner as before instanced, the interlocking mechanism, remaining intact in its low down mounting in the head block, then is left unlocked if the pad lock is used in the ear 11; since this would be carried away witlrthe switchstand.

In my present invention, I provide the top of the interlocking housing 16 with an upstanding lug 26 just back of the bearing for the pivot 21 of the arms 22 and having an ear 27 projecting up and forward over this hearing. Also, the top of the housing has, just forward from said bearing, the upstanding ear 28. The locking yoke or hasp 29 comprisesthe front end part having cars 30 flanking the car 28 with a pivot 31 transversely therethrough. Joined to this front part is the hood 32 which fits down over the lug 26 and has a forwardly upwardly opening slot 33 through which projects the car 27 of the lug 26. The nose 34 projects back from the bottom of this hood 32 within the forked lower end part of the connector 15; and from opposite sides of the. rear of the bottom of the hood 32 project the wings 35, lying over and engaged by the upper edges of the arms 22 at the respective sides. The top of the hood 32' preferably has the hump 36 projecting above the top of the ear 27.

With the bow of a padlock 37 (F ig. 1) inserted in the car 27 the yoke 29 is prevented from rising, and, by the engagement of, its wings 35 with the arms 22, it thus prevents rising of these arms 22 as is necessary for withdrawal of the plunger 19 from the bar 18. As these arms 22 are connected to the switch-throwing lever 9 by the connector 15, this locking also locks the switch-throwing lever; but if the switch-stand is torn away, disrupting this connection, the interlocking mechanism nevertheless remains locked by the padlock directly applied thereto, and the danger of withdrawal of the plunger in the absence of the switchstand, pending repair, is avoided.

In the normal operation, as the'switch-i throwing lever 9 is depressed, for completion of closing of the switch, the under side of the upper part of the connector fork 24 engages the nose 34: of the yoke 29, depressing the yoke to such position that the lock can be inserted in the ear 27; and if the yoke thus is not sufficiently depressed, the

switchmans foot may be placed on the hump 36 to force the yoke down. It will be un derstood that the parts are preferably castings, with ample clearance allowed between them; and this, in connection with the liability of slight clogging by dirt or ice, makes preferable these auxiliary provisions for completely forcing the yoke into locking position. Incomplete operation of the interlocking mechanism also is avoided under such adverse conditions, by having the locking yoke 29 a part separate from the arms 22 and allowing the looseness of connection of the yoke with the connector 15, as permitted by the nose 3% projecting loosely into the fork 24 thereof.

Modifications, however, may be made, either in conjunction with the particular type of switch-stand and interlocking mechanism herein exemplified, or with modifications thereof, or with other switch-interlocking mechanism; and this, or other types may have incorporated therewith suitable target or other signal operating devices other than herein illustrated. Therefore, while I have. somewhat specifically described a certain example of application of my invention, I do not wish to be understood asbeing limited to such precise disclosures, but what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a switch-stand, in combination with the switch-throwing element thereof and interlocking mechanism therefor having an operative connection to said element, means movable independently of said interlocking mechanism, adapted to receive a padlock for locking said interlocking mechanism directly and thereby indirectly locking said switchthrowing element.

2 In a switch-stand, in combination with the switch-throwing element thereof and interlocking mechanism therefor having an operative connection to said element, means adapted to receive a padlock and engage able by said operative connection to be brought into position for receiving the padlock for locking said interlocking mechanism.

3. In a switch-stand, in combination with the switch-throwing element thereof and interlocking mechanism therefor comprising a swinging arm having an operative connection to said element, a member adapted to receive a padlock and engageable with said arm, thereby to be brought into position for receiving the padlock for locking said interlocking mechanism.

i. In a switch-stand, in combination with the switch-throwing element thereof and interlocking mechanism therefor comprising a swinging arm having an operative connection to said element a member adapted to receive a padlock and engageable with said arm, thereby to be brought into position for receiving the padlock for locking said interlocking mechanism and engageable with said operative connection for return of said member to lock-receiving position after unlocking.

5. In a switch-stand, in combination with the switch throwing element thereof and interlocking mechanism therefor comprising a swinging arm having a forked operative connection to said element, a member engageable with said arm for manually ing mechanism.

7. In a switch-stand in co11 1bi11ati.o11wit1'1 the switcl'i-throwin g element thereof and interlocking mechanism thei for comprising laterally spaced swin ing arms havin I a forked operative connection to said element,

a member pivoted between said arms and having wings engageable with the respective arms for manually locking said mechanism, and having a nose extending into position for engagement with the fork of said operative connection for return of said member to locking position after unlocking.

8. In a switch-stand, in combination with the switch-throwing element thereof and interlocking mechanism therefor comprising a housing and having an operative connection to said element, means movably mounted on said housing, adapted to receive a padlock for locking said interlocking mechanism.

9. In a switch-stand, in combination with the switch-throwing element thereof and interlocking mechanism therefor comprising a housing with an upstanding ear and having an operative connection to said element, means movably mounted on said housing and having an opening through which said ear projects to receive part of a lock for manually locking said interlocking mocha nism.

10. In a switch-stand, in combination with the switch-throwing element thereof and interlocking mechanism therefor having an operative connection to said element, means movable independently of said mechanism, adapted to receive apadlock for locking said mechanism and having a projection for pedal engagement to force said means into position for receiving the padlock.

11. In a switch-stand, in combination with the switch-throwing element thereof and in-. terlocking mechanism therefor comp-rising a housing with an upstanding ear and having an operative connection to said element, means movably mounted on said housing and having an opening through which said ear projects to receive part of a lock for manually locking said mechanism, said housing having a projection above said ear for pedal engagement to force said means nto manually locking position,

"arms for manually locking-said interlo'c k- 12. In a switch-stand, in combination with the switch-throwing element thereof and interlocking mechanism therefor comprising a housing with an upstanding ear and comprising arms at opposite sides of said housing and a forked operative connection from said arms to said switch-throwing element, a locking member swinging on said housing having an aperture through which said ear extends to receive part of a lock, having opposite lateral wings engageable with the respective arms, and having a nose straddled by and engageable with the fork of said operative connection, said wings holding said arms to lock the interlocking mechanism when the ear projects through the aperture, and said nose being engaged by said fork to return the member to locking position after unlocking.

13. A looking member for switch-interlocking mechanism comprising an apertured middle part with pivoting means at one end and a nose at its other end and having wings extending laterally from its opposite sides.

14. A locking member for switch-interlocking mechanism comprising an apertured hood part with pivoting means at one end and a nose at its other end and having wings extending laterally from its opposite sides between said hood part and said nose.

15. A switch-interlocking housing having pivoting means and having a locking ear, and a locking member comprising an apertured hood part to lie around said ear, with pivoting means at one end to connect with the pivoting means of the housing, and having a nose at its other end and having wings extending laterally from its opposite sides between said hood and said nose.

FRANK C. ANDERSON. 

